I legit think it’s 2 kids who mummy and daddy have paid for do a civvy residential course and the gliding club have just associated the fact they are also members of the RAFAC and pushed to social media without realising the politics behind it.
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If parents pay for something, sod all anyone can do about it. I would love to see HQAC try introduce a policy to stop parents organising and paying for activities, where it’s only cadets attending.
The fact it’s been linked to cadets through SM, uncontrollable fact of modern life. I’m no fan of SM, but if this gets a conversation going and questions asked so much the better…
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So two individuals who are doing their DofE Residential, which was registered through their school, just happen to be members of RAFAC 
What’s wrong with that
this happened on my last unit - i don’t recall seeing any SM info on it, but the two lads were both Cadets, and clearly one set of parents mentioned it as an idea and they put their sons on the same “course” - this is just another example where the club have mentioned they are Cadets
the closest link to the RAFAC is the one holding the canopy has a branded tshirt on. none of the photos show any likely CFAV in the background…
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Have DofE not signed up to the National Youth Associations coordinated COVID approach? Are they doing residentials?
No, they have relaxed some of the rules but you still need to do one.
100 cadets, or 100 sorties?
100 Cadets according to their Facebook.
They been trying to get 24 cadets in a day with an AM and PM round alongside virtual pre flight briefing.
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This sounds like a good idea for the future.
Sack off anything except actual gliding when you go to a VGS.
maximise flying not sims and briefings.
Keep sims for wet days
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The solution is simple HQAC provide what HQAC is meant to provide. If their not doing it, the longer it goes on people will look for solutions to the problem. What’s the worst thing they could do to people?
I can imagine this is one such solution. Cadets ask about gliding, OC says Air Cadets isn’t doing gliding anymore (may be with back story), then potentially parents with money or who know people with money sort it out privately. I was talking to a sqn cdr who had spoken to a contact on their local Round Table who were willing to sponsor 50% of gliding or flying days for selected cadets. The OC was working out the best way to select (given what was on offer) and how it could be done and not get a load of poo from on high. One of their concerns was parents not in a financial position to pay a share and not involve the CWC, as this would create it’s own problems. This was in the summer of 2019 and a lot has happened (or not) since then.
Something I have found is people are amazed that Air Cadets are no longer flying as they used to and we still call ourselves Air Cadets. It doesn’t paint a pretty picture of the RAF, given they are our parents organisation.
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But do they need money?
Gliding is fsr cheaper than ppl realise.
My local club charges £65 for junior membership a year.
£10 winch launch and 30p for every minute of flying.
On the rough figure of £10/month on Cadet subs…or £120 annually the membership picks up half of that total but leaves enough for half a dozen winch launches and fair time in the air.
Even at £8/month (£96 pa) that is three launches
Yes Cadets get more than just gliding from their £10/subs but if it is that straightforward to get your kid in the air a handful of times…why can’t the UK’s own government sponsored leading aviation themed youth organisation?
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Especially when the personnel cost will be substantially lower given the VGS staff are volunteers!
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The side issue we’ll have to contend with through all this is the RAF transferring over to overwhelmingly synthetic training. People on pprune (I know… But go with it) are suggesting it could be as much as 90% synthetic for all regular pilots.
If that’s the RAF - with, admittedly, far better sims - what hope do we have?
My son went solo in a BGA glider for less than £400 all in.
Mind you, it’s a slippery slope; as I write, he is in the middle of a cross-country task and I’m on call in case he lands out…
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It’s is reasonabley priced in the grand scheme of things. Lasham quoted me 0 to silver cert with xc endorsement for about 3.5k
I feel that some of the problem with our flying/gliding at the moment is the organisation is in a “training” mindset.
RAFAC flying shouldn’t be training. The value in RAFAC flying is in the experience, and the synthetic training experience is pretty poor.
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Have you thought about RAFGSA, they accept RAFAC CFAV and whilst costs for launches and time in the air are comparable the membership is a hell of a lot less. Much better atmosphere and banter than my nearest BGA club too
Great shout need to find my nearest. Got the Royal navy equiv 20 miles away
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The are called Air Experience Flights and not Air Training Flights. They have been set up as jollies as a hook for membership of the RAFAC and not flying training. Thats what the VGS do.
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